Steadfastness and Confrontation Front
Encyclopedia
The Steadfastness and Confrontation Front was a political initiative by a number of Arab
governments in the 1970s, related to the Arab-Israeli Conflict.
, Algeria
, Syria
and South Yemen, as well as by the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO). It was inteded as a protest and a show of position, after President
Anwar Sadat
of Egypt
had travelled to Tel-Aviv to meet Israel
i Prime Minister
Menachem Begin
, and begin peace negotiations that would eventually lead to the Camp David Accords
. This Egyptian initiative was widely seen in the Arab world
as an abandonment of agreed-upon principles of non-recognition of Israel, and as breaking the Arab alliance against Israel. It was generally condemned as treachery.
of Egypt, condemned every Arab government who did not take part of the Front, and emphasized the ties between Syria and the Palestinians. Still, interestingly, it did not explicitly call for Israel's destruction, but instead repeated the Ten Point Program of the PLO, calling for a Palestinian state on "any part of Palestinian land ... as an interim aim of the Palestinian Revolution
". This had been interpreted, at least inside the PLO, as a step towards a two-state solution
, and was highly controversial among Palestinians.
, which was a gathering of radical Palestinian factions outside the framework of the PLO. They had left the PLO after Fatah
pushed through the Ten Point Program in 1974. In fact, the Steadfastness and Confrontation Front and its conflict with Egypt - the most influential Arab state - helped bring together the fractured PLO, and temporarily heal the rift between the main organization under Yassir Arafat and the Rejectionists.
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
governments in the 1970s, related to the Arab-Israeli Conflict.
Background
The Steadfastness and Confrontation Front was formed in 1977 by the governments of LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and South Yemen, as well as by the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
(PLO). It was inteded as a protest and a show of position, after President
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
had travelled to Tel-Aviv to meet Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
, and begin peace negotiations that would eventually lead to the Camp David Accords
Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, following thirteen days of secret negotiations at Camp David. The two framework agreements were signed at the White House, and were witnessed by United States...
. This Egyptian initiative was widely seen in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
as an abandonment of agreed-upon principles of non-recognition of Israel, and as breaking the Arab alliance against Israel. It was generally condemned as treachery.
Purpose of the Front
The front affirmed its rejection of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, and reiterated the unwillingness to recognize Israel or negotiate with it for a Palestinian state. It also called for a boycottBoycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of Egypt, condemned every Arab government who did not take part of the Front, and emphasized the ties between Syria and the Palestinians. Still, interestingly, it did not explicitly call for Israel's destruction, but instead repeated the Ten Point Program of the PLO, calling for a Palestinian state on "any part of Palestinian land ... as an interim aim of the Palestinian Revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
". This had been interpreted, at least inside the PLO, as a step towards a two-state solution
Two-state solution
The two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the consensus solution that is currently under discussion by the key parties to the conflict, most recently at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007...
, and was highly controversial among Palestinians.
Rejectionist Front
The Steadfastness and Confrontation Front should not be confused with the Rejectionist FrontRejectionist Front
The Rejectionist Front or Front of the Palestinian Forces Rejecting Solutions of Surrender was a political coalition formed in 1974 by radical Palestinian factions who rejected the Ten Point Program adopted by the Palestine Liberation Organization in its 12th Palestinian National Congress ...
, which was a gathering of radical Palestinian factions outside the framework of the PLO. They had left the PLO after Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
pushed through the Ten Point Program in 1974. In fact, the Steadfastness and Confrontation Front and its conflict with Egypt - the most influential Arab state - helped bring together the fractured PLO, and temporarily heal the rift between the main organization under Yassir Arafat and the Rejectionists.
External links
- Jewish Virtual Library A PLO call for the formation of the Front